Printing mechanism



Aug. 3, 1943. A. w. MILLS 2,325,966

PRINTING MECHANISM AT TORNE Y Aug. 3, 1943. A. w. MILLS PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 2l, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR MM 0f- A T TORNE Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Q/ .u i'ORNEY Patented Aug. 3, 1943 PRINTING MECHANISM Albert W. Mills, Endicott, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 21, 1941, Serial No. 415,860

(Cl. lOl-93) 4 Claims. This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to improvements in the.

type selecting mechanism for tabulating machines.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simplied stopping mechanism for the type bars of a tabulating machine to select type elements, for printing both the digits and letters of the alphabet under control of perforations in a record card. The usual type carrier or bar is provided with a plurality of groups of type, one group being numerical type; a second, substantially a third of the letters of the alphabet; a third, the second third of the letters of the alphabet; and the last, the remaining letters of the alphabet. The separate groups of type are overlapped so that a. numerical type is followed by a type of each of the other three groups, and numerical type are arranged to be normally presented to the printing line as the card perforations register with the usual lower analyzing brushes. l

Each group of type is represented on the record card in what is known as a zoning" perforation. These zoning perforations apply only to the alphabetic characters, the numerical characters being indicated by single perforations in the corresponding index point positions and the alphabetie characters being indicated by a numerical perforation accompanied by a zoning perforation, thus forming a two-hole combinational reading.

As the record cards pass the analyzing brushes, the numerical perforations are rst sensed and cause the type bars to be interrupted by a stopping pawl with the corresponding numerical type selected for printing, this selection taking place before the selected type element has reached the printing position. The type element is thereafter further advanced to move it from its selecting position to the printing position. During this latter movement, the zoning holes in the card are analyzed and control a second stopping pawl which will act to interrupt the type bar during its further advance to stop it with one of the alphabetic characters in printing position.

A further object is to provide an improved mechanism for controlling the operation of the printing hammers of a tabulating machine.

' Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by Way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central section through the printing mechanism showing the essential elements thereof.

Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 4, showing the lower stopping pawl magnet carriage.

Fig. 3 is a detail of certain bail operating mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail position view of the type bar and its stopping pawls with the bar in position to print the letter H.

Referring to Fig. 1, the type bar I0 is mounted for vertical reciprocation in suitable guides. The bar is provided with a head I I in which type elements I2 are positioned for suitable horizontal movement into engagement with the usual platen I3. During the operation of the machine, bail I 4 is oscillated and through link connection I5 a further bail I6 is also oscillated therewith. The lever Il has spring connections I8 urging the lever to rotate clockwise about pivot I9. When the bail I4 moves upwardly, springs I8 urge the lever Il in the same direction and through link 20, the type bar I0 is elevated to move the type elements I2 past the printing position in succession. This mechanism for reciprocating the type bars is of the usual construction.

The lower part of the type bar is provided with ten stopping teeth 2l numbered 9 to 0 to represent the ten digits and, as the type bar is elevated, the teeth 2| pass the toe of a pawl 22 in succession as the correspondingly numbered index point positions on the usual record card pass the analyzing or sensing brushes. Reference to Fig. 4 will serve to make this clearer where the usual analyzing brushes of the tabulating machine are shown and designated LB. These brushes cooperate with the Contact roller 23, and in the operation of the machine the record card R in which perforations are made in the several columns thereof pass downwardly between the contact roller 23 and the brushes LB. The card is provided with the usual twelve index point positions in which perforations are made to represent the numerical digits and the letters of the alphabet. The arrangement of the perforations for representing these characters is as follows:

Character Holes Holes Character For example, the second column of the card R shown in Fig. 4 containing a perforation in the 8 and also the 12 position represents the letter H. The relative movement of the record card and the carrier is such that, when the 9 index point position is at the brush LB, the 9 tooth 2| is in line with the toe of pawl 22. When the 8 index point position is at the brush LB, the 8 tooth 2l is at the pawl and so on. Upon the presentation of a hole to a brush, a circuit is completed from negative wire 24 to the usual card lever contact LCL which is closed while a card is passing the brushes LB, through the usual contacts 25 which make and break between the index point positions, contact roller 23, the perforation in the record card, brush LB, a plug connection 26, through a wire 21 to a magnet 28, and thence to positive line 29. Energization of magnet 28 will release its spring-pressed pawl 22 so that the toe thereof engages and stops the carrier I9, with the tooth 2l corresponding to the digital hole position in which the perforation occurred, in engagement with pawl 22.

The magnets 28, of which there is one for each type carrier, are formed as rectangles and spaced in two staggered columns as shown in Fig. 2, so that the spacing between any adjacent pair of magnets is twice the spacing of the carriers. For each magnet there is an armature 30 which armatures extend in opposite directions for the two rows of magnets, and for each armature there is a pawl 22 normally held in position shown in Fig. 1 by the armature. Energization of any magnet in either row will release the related pawl 22 so that, under the inuence of its spring, it may rock to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The magnets are supported on a frame 3| which in turn is fastened to a vertically slidable plate 32 which is suitably guided in the fixed framework designated 33. The pawls 22 have their pivot rod 22' supported by a bar 34 which is also secured to the vertically slidable plate 32. Plate 32, of which there is one in each end of the rows of magnets, together with the bracket 3l and bar 34 constitute what may bertermed a magnet and pawl carriage.

During the movement of the index point positions 9 to l past the brushes LB, the carriage and supported parts remain in the position shown in Fig. l. After the 1 index point position has been sensed, the carriage is moved upwardly from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 4. The mechanism for reciprocating the carriage comprises a pair of complementary cams designated 35 in Fig. 1, which oscillate a follower 36 whose horizontal arm has a suitable connection at 36 (see also Fig. 2) with the plate 32.

Directly above the magnets 28 and pawls 22 and in line therewith is a second set of magnets designated39 and pawls 40. The construction and relationship of these magnets and pawls is exactly the same as the lower group. The magnets 39 are mounted in bracket 4I which is secured to the xed framework and the supporting arm 42 for the pawls is also xedly secured, so that this set of magnets and pawls does not have the reciprocating motion of the lower set. For the upper set of pawls 40 there is provided a restoring bail 43 which extends across and beneath all the pawls 40.

Across the underside of the bail is a rod 44 Whose supporting arm 45 is secured to a shaft 46, which in turn is connected through a link 41 to a spring-pressed cam follower arm t8, which cooperates with a cam 49 mounted on the shaft 50 which is the usual drive shaft of the machine and which makes one revolution for each card feeding and printing cycle. The timing of cam 49 is such that, while the index point positions 9 to 1 are passing the brushes LB, the bar 44 is held in its counterclockwise position against bail 43, so that the latter is held in position against the horizontal arms of all the pawls 4D as shown in Fig. 1, thus preventing the tripping of any of these pawls during the period in which the index point positions of the cards 9 to 1 are being sensed.

The reason for this is evident from Fig. i where it is seen that a lower magnet 28 and a corresponding upper magnet 39 are wired in parallel so that, whenever a hole is sensed, the two corresponding magnets (that is, the magnets associated with the same type bar) are both energized.

During the sensing of the 9 to 1 positions, however, only lower magnet 28 is effective since the pawl 40 associated with the upper magnet is held in ineiective position. During the sensing of the remaining three positions 0, 11 and 12, the rod 44 is rocked away from bail 43 allowing the latter to follow so that, upon the sensing of a second perforation, the energization of magnet 39 will permit release of the related pawl 40, so that it may be rocked into engagement with the type carrier to engage one of a second set of teeth on the bar which are designated 5I.

'I'he sequence of operations maybest be understood by following through the various steps involved in positioning the type carrier to print the letter H as shown in Fig. 4. In this figure the record card R is perforated in column 2, the perforations in the 8 and 12 positions designating the letter H. As this card passes foration in the 8 position, the lower magnet unit and its carriage will be in their lower position, that is, the position in Fig. 1, and the upper set of pawls will be locked against tripping, so that when the circuit is completed through the 8 perforation, both the lower and upper magnets 28'and 39 will be energized with the result that pawl 22 will rock into engagement with the type carrier and stop the latter against the 8 tooth 21, holding the carrier in stopped position as the index point positions '7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 continue to pass the brushes.

Meanwhile, the bail I4 continues its movement so that the type carrier is being constantly urged upwardly by its springs I8 but prevented from moving by stopping pawl 22. In this initial stopping position, the 8 type element I2 is a short distance below the printing line, and just before the index point position is sensed the lower magnet carriage moves upwardly and the carrier, of course, moves with it, so that when the 0 index point position is at the brushes LB, the tooth designated 8 0 is opposite the toe of pawl 40 whose bail 43 is now out of locking position. When the 11 index point position is at the brush LB, the tooth 5| designated 8-11 is in line with the pawl 40 and, when the 12 index point position is at the brush LB, the tooth 5| designated 8-12 is opposite pawl 40. For the example chosen, there is a perforation in this position so that a circuit is again completed through both magnets 28 and 39. Since the magnet 28 has already been tripped, this second energization has no effect thereon, whereas the energization of magnet 39 will release pawl 40 for engagement with the tooth 5| designated 8--l2, thereby interrupting the movement of carrier I0 with the lower magnet carriage and stopping it with the letter H on the printing line. The magnet carriage continues its upward movement to the position shown in Fig. 4 with pawl 22 moving away from the tooth 2| with which it had been in engagement.

If this card column had contained only a numerical perforation, for example an 8 hole, then the operation would have been the same as just explained for the letter H except that no second energization of magnet 39 would take place and the pawl 40 would not have been tripped, thus allowing the carrier I0 to continue upwardly with the magnet carriage and with the 8 tooth 2| remaining in engagement with the tripped pawl 22. This would have resulted in a further upward displacement of the type carrier a distance necessary to present the 8 type element to the printing line.

During the restoration of the carrier after printing has taken place, bail 43 restores the pawl .40 and a similar bail designated 52 is rocked to restore the pawls 22. The operating connections for the bail 52 are shown in Fig. 1 where a rod 53 on bell crank 54 is rocked by a cam follower lever 55 which cooperates with a cam 5B on the shaft 50.

The magnet frames 3| and 4| have attached thereto panel-boards designated 5l of insulating material through which suitable wiring connections are made to the magnets 28 and 39, the connections to the lower set of magnets being through a cable 58 so looped as to permit the vertical reciprocation of the magnets.

After the type carriers I0 have been positioned with selected type elements on the printing line, the printing hammers 59 are released for impact against the type elements under the influence of their springs 60. The printing hammer 59 is normally held in retracted position by a latching lever 8| pivoted at 62a. Prior to the releasing of the hammer, the usual bail 62 pivoted at 53 is rocked clockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3 under the control of the pair of complementary-cams 84 on shaft 50, through the connections generally designated 65 in Fig. 3. At the printing time a caxn 68 driven from the shaft 50 through gearing designated 6l rocks a follower lever 68 counterclockwise to draw a link 69 downwardly and rock a shaft l0 clockwise. On this shaft is a bail designated 1| (see Fig. l) upon which is pivoted a tripping finger 12 whose depending arm is connected to a link 13 as shown. A spring '|4'normally tends to rock finger l2 counterclockwise, causing it to bear against the depending arm of latch 6| and, as bail 1| rocks clockwise, finger 'l2 continues to bear against latch 6I and a short time after the bail has commenced to rock, a shoulder on the finger will engage and rock the latch 6| counterclockwise to trip the hammer 58 for printing action.

During the rocking of the bail 1| and finger 12, the link 13 moves toward the right. Secured to the type carrier l0 and lying in the plane of link 13 is a U -shaped block l5 so positioned that, when either of the two iowermost type elements is in printing position, one of the leftward extensions of the block 'I5 is in line with the right hand end of link 13. As a result, when any type bar is in such position, the right hand end of link 13 will strike block I5 shortly after the bail 7| commencesto rock clockwise, thus blocking complete movement of the link 'I3 toward the right. As a result, the `finger l2 will be forced to rock in la clockwise direction b'efore its shoulder can trip the latch 6i, with the result that the printing hammer 58 will not be released when the related carrier is in position presenting the two lowermost type elements. Tripping of such hammers is effected under control of latches of adjacent type carriers through the well known zero split mechanism.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine, a type carrier having a plurality of type elements thereon, means for moving said carrier to advance the type elements past a printing position in succession, a. normally stationary carriage, a magnet and stopping member mounted on the carriage, means for energizing said magnet during the advance of the type carrier to cause the stopping member to interrupt the movement of the carrier, means effective after said carrier is stopped, for advancing the carriage and carrier together, a second magnet and stopping member and means for energizing said second magnet while the carrier is moving with the carriage to cause the related stopping member to engage and interrupt the movement of the carrier.

2. In a printing machine, a type carrier having a plurality of type elements thereon, means for moving said carrier to advance the type elements past a printing position in succession, a normally stationary carriage, a magnet and stopping member mounted on the carriage, means for energizing said magnet during the advance of the type carrier to cause the stopping member to interrupt the movement of the carrier, means effective after said carrier is stopped, for advancing the carriage and carrier together a vpredetermined amount to present a selected type element to the printing position, and means operative at dierential times during the movement of the carriage and carrier for said predetermined amount for engaging and stopping the carrier at distances less than said predetermined amount.

3. In a printing machine controlled by record cards having columns of index point positions in each column of which a designation may be made to represent a digit, and sensing means for each column for successively sensing the index point positions for vdesignations therein, the combination of a type carrier having a type element for each index point position, a type bar stopping member, means for moving the carrier to present the type elements with a predetermined space relationship to the stopping member as the corresponding index point positions are sensed by the sensing means, means controlled by the' sensing means for causing the stopping member to engage the carrier and interrupt its movement upon sensing a designation, means for thereafter moving the member and enabling the rst named moving means to resume movement of the carassenso rier with the member to bring the type element corresponding to the index point position containing the sensed designation to printing position, and a further stopping member controlled by said sensing means upon sensing a second deslgnation in the card column for independently engaging and interrupting the type carrier during its movement with the irst named stopping member before the initially selected type element has reached printing position.

el.v In a printing machine, a type carrier, means for moving the carrier froma rest to a printing position, a first magnet and a stopping pawl therefor, a second magnet and a stopping pawl therefor, each magnet upon energization being adapted to cause its pawl to engage and stop the carrier, means for successively sensing a column of a record card for designations therein, circuit connections completed by said sensing means to concurrently energize both magnets upon the sensing of a designation, means for rendering the iirst named pawl ineiiective during the sensing of certain designations whereby only the second pawl will act to stop the carrier, means for causing the `carrier to continue its movement after interruption by said second pawl accompanied by said second pawl, said rendering means reenabling the rst pawl to stop the carrier a second time upon the sensing of a further designation.

ALBERT W. MILLS. 

